We finish publishing, this week, Mr. Wirt's opinions. They can be had at this
office in pamphlet form.
_______________

A detachment of the United States troops have lately visited the mines at
Six's.
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A CHOCTAW is unavoidably deferred until next week.
___________________

A meeting of the citizens of Aquohee District in the Cherokee Nation convened
for the purpose of considering the present situation of the nation: the following
resolutions were passed, and an address to the citizens of the United States
adopted.

1. Resolved unanimously, that the unfeigned thanks of this meeting be given
to "William Penn" for the substantial benefits rendered to our beloved
country by his able exposition of the grounds of our national rights, and of
our relation to the United States as set forth in his luminous numbers on "The
Present Crisis in the Condition of the American Indians."

2. Resolved unanimously that the thanks of this meeting be given to the Honorable
Senators and Members of Congress who ______ unanimously espoused our cause and
asserted our rights, and by arguments and eloquence vindicated our claims and
repelled the attacks of our adversaries in the United States Senate and House
of Representatives.

3. Resolved unanimously, that the cordial thanks of this meeting be given
to these philanthropic citizens of the United States who have interested themselves
on our behalf, who sustained our cause in Congress by the weighty arguments
and high respectability of their memorials.

4. Resolved unanimously that the thanks of this meeting be given to the independent
editors of Public Journals who have rendered essential service to our country
by freely circulating information which has enlightened the public mind, on
the subject of our just rights; and thereby produced a strong feeling in our
favor. And also, to all those public spirited individuals, who by their eloquence
or their pens, have contributed to place in a clear light, the arguments on
which those rights were founded.

5. Resolved that in the absence of any direct medium of communication with
our friends: the foregoing resolutions and the following address be sent to
the Cherokee Phoenix for publication in the hope these feeble expressions of
our gratitude may thus meet the eyes of those for whom they are intended.

To the citizens of the United States
Friends and brethren:

The occasion of our present address is one, which affects not only the well
being, but the very existence of our country.

A course of policy has of late been pursued with relation to us, which we
consider to be at variance with the most solemn treaties & which has filled
our minds with painful anxiety.

Oppression is at this moment in vigorous operation under the appellation of
laws of Georgia. These overbearing and cruel edicts are evidently designed to
exterminate us from the earth. Under the sable banners of these pretended laws,
are already marshalled for the purposes of rapine and plunder a host of the
most abandoned characters who drive off our property, break the repose of our
families, imprison our persons, and threaten our lives. But these laws grant
us no hearing: they afford us no redress.

We consider these doings to be flagrant violations of those identical treaties
by virtue of which millions of acres of land, ever ours are now vested in the
United States as the price of protection against these very evils.

We have asked your Executive, for the stipulated protection: but it is not
granted. We have petitioned Congress; but without success. We have assumed the
attitude of abject suppliants, in soliciting that for which we have paid in
full tale; but we have met nothing but mortifying repulses. We are grieved.
We are oppressed. What are we to do, where shall we look for succor? The arm
of your President heretofore potent to enforce justice has lost its wanted energy;
he cannot help us.

The State of Georgia, in the vehemence of her thirst for sovereignty, has
overleaned [sic] her bounds. She tramples on our dearest rights and frowns to
silence the interrogators of justice.

People of America, where shall we look? Republicans we appeal to you. Christians
we appeal to you. We need the exertion of your strong arm, we need the utterance
of your commanding voice, we need the aid of your prevailing prayers.

In times past, your compassions, yearned over our moral desolation, and the
misery which was spreading among us though the failure of game our ancient resource.
The cry of wretchedness reached your hearts; you supplied us with implements
of husbandry, and domestic industry, which enabled us to provide food and clothing
for ourselves.--You sent us instructions in letters and the true religion which
has chased away much of our mental and moral darkness.

Your wise President Jefferson, took much pains to instruct us in the science
of civilized government and recommended the government of the United States
and of the several states as models for our imitation. He urged us also to industry
and the acquisition of property. His letter was read in our towns; and we received
it as the counsel of a friend. We commenced learning. We commenced improving
our government. And by gradual advances we have attained our present station.
But our venerable father Jefferson never intended that whenever we should arrive
at a certain point in the science of government, of the knowledge of civilized
arts, that our rights would be forfeited, our treaties become obsolete, the
protection guaranteed them withdrawn, our property confiscated to lawless banditti,
and our necks placed under the foot of Georgia.

If your benevolence responded to our silent petitions where we possessed no
other claims than our wretchedness, and no other advocate than generous emotions
of your own breasts, we feel assured that our appeal will not be disavowed when
we ask for justice at your hands.

Much industry has been employed to misrepresent our condition, our faults,
and our misfortunes and our defects have been magnified; and unfounded odium
has been cast upon our name as if the worthlessness of our character and the
degradation of our condition could exonerate the United States government from
her engagements and annul the binding force of the treaties.

Sometimes our untamable barbarism and deplorable degradation are urged against
us; and at others our civilization and our cultivation of domestic and social
advances resulting therefrom are charged against us as unpardonable crimes.

It has been frequently asserted that we are willing and even desirous to go
to the west. We assure our friends it is not so. We have our homes, we have
our families, we love to dwell by our father's graves. We love to think that
this land is our Great Creator's gift to them that he had permitted us to enjoy
it after them and that our offspring are preparing to succeed us in the inheritance.

This land is our last refuge and it is our own. Our title to it has no defect,
but the inferiority of our physical force, this defect is amply supplied by
our compacts with the powerful and magnanimous government of the United States.

Respected and honored friends, permit us to speak plainly. Much has been done
against us. Promises, threats, and stratagems have been employed. But we are
still unshaken in our attachment to the land of our birth, and we do sollemnly
protest against the exercise of oppressive measures to effect our removal. We
protest against the extention of the laws of Georgia over any part of our territory;
against the occupancy of our lands by U.S. citizens in virtue of compacts between
the U. S. government and another nation with which we have no political connection
and whiich possesses no rights within our territory against the removal of our
boundary lines; and against the employment of money or other bribes to corrupt
our citizens and induce them to become traitors to their country; and against
the distribution of our annuities amongst individuals as being all contrary
to the letter and spirit of our treaties.

We are greatly encouraged in bearing up under accumulated wrongs, to know
that our rights are acknowledged and our claims advocated by a great majority
of the wise, the honorable, and the virtuous among the citizens of the United
States.

Brethren, while we beg your acceptance of the imperfect expression of our
unfeigned gratitude for your past exertions, we ask with the most earnest solicitude
of respect, the continuance of your aid in every way which your wisdom and philanthropy
may dictate. And trusting to the ing [sic] dance of all wise Providence; we
are encouraged to look forward through generations yet to come, in the hope
that the Cherokees will be still known on their native soil; that the light
of truth which already illuminated our horizon will advance to meridian splendor,
and that the magnanimous deeds of the vindicators of our rights will live in
the memory and the veneration of our posterity! long after our bodies shall
have mingled with the dust.

Signed by order and on behalf of the meeting

CHOSTOSA Chairman

JOHN WICKLIFF Clerk
JOHN TIMSON
SWEETWATER
SITUAGI
KANEEDA

________________

We would invite the attention of our readers to the Address
of the Cherokee Committee and Council which may be found on our last page. We
have before expressed our opinion of this document which is remarkable both
for its force and eloquence and gives us a practical idea of men upon whom the
screws of torture have been fixed by this enlightened and Christian country,
to be turned round and round just so many times as is necessary to crush the
victims or tear them from their soil. If the State of Georgia and the national
Administration expect to conceal the injustice of the act under a look of benevolence
and philanthropy they deceive themselves as the decision of the civilized world,
the decision of posterity, and we doubt not the decision of Heaven will tell
them. Party men may endeavor, as they have done, to lull the public into a belief
that all is well,--but the question will arise and it must be answered. How
comes it to pass that the Cherokees who but two or three years ago were in the
enjoyment of independence, self government, and undisputed sovereignty over
their soil, and were protected by nearly a score of solemn treaties guarantying
them the continuance of their privileges,-how comes it that they are now subjected
to a government not their own, exposed to continued and goading provocations,
forbidden to dig gold on their own lands, abandoned, or rather betrayed, by
the general government, their laws and immemorial usages abolished, their constitution
abrogated, their peace invaded, their hopes lost! How comes it, we say, that
all this has been done, and that all the alternative left them is misery where
they are, or misery in the depths of the wilderness? Let those answer who are
officially their fathers and protectors, and with whom rests the execution of
Treaties. In our humble opinion, all the Veto Messages which could be piled
up between here and Maysville, would be an honor and ornament to the present
Administration and the dominant party in comparison with their treatment of
the Cherokee Indians.
N. Y. Jour. of Com.

This transcription
from the Cherokee Phoenix is presented as part of the historical record, and
includes historical materials that may contain negative stereotypes or language
reflecting the culture or language of a particular period or place including
terminology that may not be deemed appropriate today. While an effort has been
made to verify the transcription against the original text, complete accuracy
cannot be guaranteed. Researchers are urged to match the transcription against
the original article to authenticate exact quotes. Issues of the Cherokee Phoenix
are available on microfilm. Please check your local library for availability
or to inquire about interlibrary loan of a microfilm copy.